Ohio Brewery News
4.10.2020
CENTRAL
In 2018, nearly 1,500 breweries joined Sierra Nevada in brewing Resilience Butte County Proud IPA, pledging to donate proceeds to victims of the devastating Camp Fire that ravaged northern California. Now, in 2020, New York’s Other Half Brewing is leaning on the same charitable model to assist service industry employees affected by the coronavirus outbreak. All Together IPA’s recipe was designed by Other Half to incorporate ingredients that most breweries would have readily available, leaning heavily on Columbus hops for bittering and a blend of Cascade, Mosaic and Simcoe for aroma and flavor. Hoof Hearted Brewing was the first Ohio brewery to announce they would brew the beer, followed by Narrow Path Brewing in Loveland, Earnest Brew Works in Toledo, Bookhouse Brewing in Cleveland and Streetside Brewery in Cincinnati. More than 500 breweries have committed to brewing All Together IPA, with a portion of the proceeds of each brewery’s sales donated to assist local hospitality workers. Read more at alltogether.beer
GREATER CLEVELAND
With the immediate and dramatic decline in on-premise beer sales due to coronavirus, craft breweries have to make difficult decisions about what to do with the excess beer in their tanks and unsold kegs. Many craft distilleries have begun repurposing their production to make hand sanitizer that can be used in their local communities; in fact, the Brewers Association recently recommended diverting out-of-code beer to those efforts. Hofbrauhaus Cleveland is doing exactly that, donating 1,000 gallons of beer to Cleveland Whiskey’s sanitizer production program. The beer will be distilled down to 60 gallons of hand sanitizer and sent to the Cleveland Clinic to help protect health care workers in the fight to slow the spread of coronavirus. Marc Bona has the full story at cleveland.com
NORTHEAST
Staying at home and practicing social distancing are doing wonders in “flattening the curve” and slowing the spread of coronavirus, and many of us are taking advantage of this time to further educate ourselves about our interests. Your humble narrator has learned the art of turntable maintenance and is currently curing a pork loin roast to make Canadian bacon. If I lived near Youngstown, I would also be taking Noble Creature Cask House’s online class all about lagers. To enroll, you simply need to order the Virtual Beer School mixed four-pack containing Youngstonian American Lager, Conduit Munich Dunkel, Alex Fox BA Brett Lager and Observationalist Vienna Lager, pick them up at the taproom, and send Noble Creature a Facebook message to sign up for the class. You will then receive an invitation to a private Facebook group where you will be able to stream the class live on Friday, April 24 at 7:00 p.m. Get more details at facebook.com/noblecreaturebeer
NORTHWEST
With on-premises alcohol consumption curtailed due to coronavirus, breweries are increasingly dependent on sales of canned or bottled beer to maintain even a modicum of cash flow. Mobile canning services are busier than ever, crowler cans have been out of stock due to sharp increases in demand, and the Ohio Division of Liquor Control recently loosened restrictions that prohibited a brewery from packaging beer for another brewery. It’s been a little more than a year since 4KD Crick Brewery first rolled out their core lineup of beers in 16-ounce cans, and they recently announced that those five beers – Turkey Crick Blonde Ale, Hog Wild Amber Ale, Preston Island Pale Ale, Ole Ransom Russian Imperial Stout and Defiants Double IPA – are all restocked and available for carry out in four-packs (including customer-created mixed four-packs). More details at facebook.com/4kdcrickbrewery
SOUTHEAST
Nobody wants to spend their birthday sequestered away at home, least of all a brewery. In the pre-virus times, Three Tigers Brewing would throw some real raging birthday parties, often featuring a bevy of heavy beers. While we can’t celebrate together at their brewpub in Granville, Three Tigers will have bomber bottles of this year’s anniversary brew available on Monday, April 20. Sweet & Low Upholstery, named for Cheech & Chong’s recreational vehicle in the movie Up in Smoke, is an imperial IPA that – if the genesis of the name can be trusted – is likely to feature a rich bouquet of dank, resinous hops. Fresh batches of Hanslandia hoppy helles, New Albany ESB, Cat Run IPA and Small Axe pale ale are also in the works for the coming weeks. Follow Three Tigers for more details on their anniversary beer release at facebook.com/threetigersbrewing
SOUTHWEST
Northern Row Brewery & Distillery had been planning to open their long-awaited taproom on St. Patrick’s Day this past March. Of course, the coronavirus had other plans for them and the taproom opening has been delayed indefinitely. In the meantime, Northern Row has shifted the spirits side of their business to production of hand sanitizer, which is now available for public purchase in five-ounce bottles. The beer that had been prepared for a public grand opening is also now available for carry out in growlers. Eight beers are in the initial draft rollout, including a light, clean helles lager, a juicy IPA flavored with Mosaic and Citra hops, and a rich, boozy bourbon barrel aged imperial stout. Learn more about the beer lineup and then stop by their carry out tent outside the brewery in Over-the-Rhine. Read more at northernrow.com
WEST CENTRAL
Mother Stewart’s Brewing has been canning their beers for nearly two years, but two taproom favorites are being packaged for the first time this week. Truck Stop Pils, a draft staple at the taproom in Springfield, is an easy drinking continental-style pilsner with balanced flavor and a crisp finish perfect for patio sipping in the warmer weather ahead. Pool Shark is a hazy pale ale that amplifies the fruity aromas emanating from the Ohio-grown hop bill with the powerful tropical punch of mango. Six-packs of both beers – plus freshly canned Witbier and Disco Dancer hazy IPA – will be available for carry out at Mother Stewart’s on Saturday, April 11 from noon-5 p.m. For info on future can releases, follow Mother Stewart’s on Facebook: facebook.com/motherstewarts